Re-reading Translations in Wu Zhuoliu's Orphan of Asia

The author seeks to compare the Chinese and English editions of Wu Zhuoliu’s (1900-1976) Orphan of Asia (1956). Through the analysis of several characters and the political ambiguity within the text, the author first attempts to compare the two target translations of the original Japanese text. In addition to the close reading of the novel(s), the author employs paratextual analysis of the Chinese and English versions of the story in order to challenge the publishing practices of translation. The re-reading of translations thus includes an investigation of the content of the story as well as the packaging of the text. The objectives of this project include adding to the research completed on Wu’s canonical text, in translation studies, and in paratextual studies.MAS